Key ring and the like



Nov. 12, 1946. KUHNL 2,410,951

KEY RING AND THE LIKE Filed Feb. 8, 1945 Patented Nov. 12, 1946 KEY RING AND THE LIKE Leopold Kuhnl, Stratford, Conn; assignor to American Chain & Cable Company,

Bridgeport, Conn., a corporation of New'York Application February 8, 1945, Serial No. 576,839

4 Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in key rings and the like and has for an object to provide in a key ring including two turns of wire or the like, means to facilitate the starting of a key onto the ring.

A more specific object is to prow'de a key ring and the like of the general type indicated and wherein the ends of the ring may be caused to spread apart or outwardly from close relation with the mid-portion of the ring on the squeezing toward one another of spread portions of the ring located at the side of the latter diametrically opposite said ends.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from a consideration of the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing wherein a satisfactory embodiment of the invention is shown. However, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the details disclosed but includes all such variations and modifications as fall within the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the key ring of th invention;

Fig. 2 is an edge view of the same;

Fig. 3 is a plan view looking down onto the upper edge of the ring as viewed in Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is an edge view similar to Fig. 2 but with the ends of th ring spread apart to facilitate the threading of a key onto the ring; and

Fig. 5 is a View similar to Fig. 3 but looking down onto the upper edge of the ring as viewed in Fig. 4.

Referring in detail to the drawing the key ring of the invention comprises an annular body and is generally designated I and includes two substantially complete turns of wire or the like. The mid portion of the wire involved is designated I I and is slightly oiT-set whereby the end portions I 2 and I3 of the wire lie closely adjacent one another but at opposite ends of the oiT-set and substantially within the planes of the outermost surfaces of the latter whereby the free ends of the wire are not likely to catch into a pocket lining or the like.

The above described structure is more or less conventional. In the present key ring portions I4 and I 01 the wire, directly or diametrically opposite the wire ends I2 and I3 are set in a slightly spread relation as seen best in Fig. 2. The portions I4 and I5 may be spread apart a distance roughly equal to the thickness of the wire. These portions from about the points I6 and I1, which points are slightly below the horizontal center of the ring, are in inclined relation to one another and are not normally substan tially in contact as are the other portions of the ring.

When portions I4 and I5 are in spaced rela: tion as in Figs. 1 and 2 the ends I2 an I3 of the wire or ring are substantially opposite one another laterally of the ring and are against or substantiall against the portions of the ring at the opposite ends of the ofi-set II. With the ring ends so positioned it is sometimes diflicult to get a key started onto the ring. These rings are of hardened wire and the foregoing is particularly true when the rings are 'new.

With the present construction where the portions I4 and I5 of the ring are set in a spread apart relation such portions are adapted to be manually pressed or squeezed toward one another to cause the ends I2 and I3 of the ring to spread or rock outwardly from their normal positions against the opposite lateral sides of the ring. This is as suggested in Figs. 4 and 5 and there it is to be noted that by squeezing portions I4 and I5 together (as between the thumb I8 and the forefinger IB) the wire ends I2 and I3 have been rocked or caused to move outwardly providing entrances or opening 20 and ZI leaving the wire ends free of the ring body for ease in starting a key over them and onto the ring. When the portions I4 and I5 are again released the ring portions return to their above described normal positions.

From the foregoing it will be understood that while the key ring of the invention is of substantially conventional form or appearance it possesses the feature that by the squeezing toward one another of a pair of its portions its ends are opened or spread apart to provide entrances to facilitate the threading of a key onto the ring. This feature is obtained Without the addition of any part or of any material to the conventional ring. The portions I 4 and I 5 may be spread apart at any desired point in the process of manufacture of the ring as after the ring is formed and just prior to the hardening thereof.

While the invention has been described as a key ring it will be appreciated that devices of the conventional key ring construction are frequently used as clasps or clips to grasp tags, cards, papers, etc., of various kinds. Thus it is not intended that the present invention shall be limited specifically to a ring for holding keys but is considered to comprehend all possible uses of the structure hereinafter claimed.

Having thus set forth the nature of my invention, what I claim is:

1. A key ring and the like comprising a. body including approximately two turns of wire, said wire having its ends free for the threading of a key onto the ring and having said ends substantially opposite one another laterally of the ring and normally lying close to the ring body, and said ring having the portions of its turns diametrically opposite its free ends spread apart for a distance roughly the thickness of said wire whereby on said portions being squeezed toward one another the free ends of the ring are caused to spread outwardly from the ring. body to facilitate the threading of a key onto the ring.

2. A key ring or the like comprising a body including approximately two turns of wire having its ends substantially opposite one another laterally of the ring and in close relation to the opposite lateral sides of the ring, and said ring having the portions of its turns directly opposite its free ends spread apart whereby on said portions being squeezed toward one another the free ends of the ring are caused to spread outwardly from the ring body to facilitate the threading of a key onto the ring.

3. A key ring and the like comprising a body including approximately two turns of Wire having its ends substantially opposite one another laterally of the ring. and in close relation to the opposite lateral sides of the ring, and said ring having a pair of spaced apart portions adapted when squeezed toward one another to cause movement of the ends of the ring outwardly into laterally spaced relation with the ring body to facilitate the threading of a key onto the ring.

4. A key ring and the like, comprising a body including approximately two turns of wire, said wire laterally offset in its mid portion and having its ends free for the threading of a key onto the ring,lsaid wire having its ends disposed at the respective ends of said offset portion and normally lying close to the ring body in end-toend relation to said offset portion, and said ring having the portions of its turns spaced from its free ends spread apart whereby on said portions being squeezed toward one another the free ends of the ring are caused to spread outwardly from the ring body to facilitate the threading of a key onto the ring.

LEOPOLDKUHNL. 

